Should You Get Breast Reduction Surgery?

Overly large breasts can bring about persistent problems involving pain, self-image, and posture. Contrary to those wanting to address small, underdeveloped breasts through breast enlargement, women who aim to decrease their breast size can opt for breast reduction surgery with a licensed plastic surgeon.
If you want any of the following, you are most probably a candidate for breast reduction:

• Smaller breasts
• More proportionate figure
• Free of back pain due to overly large breasts
• Higher nipples, in addition to lighter breasts

In reduction mammoplasty, a qualified surgeon removes excess breast fat, glandular tissue, and skin. It’s good news, too, that many breast reduction surgeries are covered by insurance, which means it doesn’t have to be an expensive procedure for you.

Here are some facts you need to know about breast reduction. It is a reconstructive procedure, used to correct the shape, size, and weight of overly large breasts. Breast reduction for men is known as gynecomastia.

Liposuction may help remove fatty tissue. If fatty tissue alone and not excess skin cause large breasts, liposuction alone may work and serve as a better option.

Here the steps done:

1. Anesthesia. Anesthesia is provided to make you comfortable during surgery. Intravenous sedation or general anesthesia may be administered.
2. Incisions. Similar to those used in breast lift, incisions in breast reduction take many forms and leave scars usually hidden under clothing. The incision shape or pattern may be circular, keyhole, racquet, anchor, and inverted “T.”
3. Breast tissue, fat, and skin removal and repositioning. The volume of breast tissue is reduced, the remainder lifted into place and reshaped. In certain cases, your nipple and areola are removed and repositioned higher on the breast area. If necessary, excess skin is removed.
4. Suturing of incision, plus bandaging. After breast reshaping, sutures – which help shape and support breasts and may include skin adhesives or surgical tape – are applied to bring the skin together.
5. Recovery phase. You will immediately see results after the procedure. Post-surgery swelling will manifest. Support bras and elastic bandages may be used to reduce swelling and support breasts during healing. This phase is just as important as preparation, in order for you to get the most benefit from the surgery to be protected against infection.
Any surgery or procedure involves risks. Breast reduction has its own set of potential risks and side effects, which include the following:

• Slow healing or infection
• Poor anesthetic response
• Bleeding, blood clots, or bruising
• Scarring
• Short or long term pain and discomfort
• Changes in breast or nipple sensation
• Swelling
• Breast firmness
• Nerve or tissue damage

You can minimize your risks by working hand-in-hand with your plastic surgeon, which should be board-certified and experienced. Make sure that your surgery will be done in an approved facility, like an office-based surgery center, outpatient clinic, or hospital.

Finally, you can consider yourself a good breast reduction – or breast enlargement – patient if you are have good overall health and weight. It is best if you are non-smoker, because smoking still needs to be discussed with your surgeon prior to being qualified. You must be very sure that you’re doing it for your own health benefit and self-image, and not to just fit into some ideal picture.

Breast reduction may also get in the way of breastfeeding and future mammograms or health screenings. Talk to an accredited surgeon or do further research online.

As for those who want the opposite, which is to increase breast size, self-applied techniques such as breast enlargement cream, gel, and pills may be explored for results over time.